Board of Zoning Appeals Denies Use Permit for Wild Wash Express

The Board of Zoning Appeals denied a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for a proposed car wash on Colorado Boulevard last week. 

In its meeting on Thursday, the board unanimously approved the city staff’s recommendation to overturn the city hearing officer’s decision to approve the CUP for the 3,490 square-foot self-serve Wild Wash Express. 

The project included the construction of a 3,490 square foot car wash tunnel with two queuing lanes, a parking lot with 30 self-service vacuums and two employee parking spaces. 

On November 18, 2020, the hearing officer approved the CUP for the project based on city staff’s recommendations to approve the same as it concluded that the findings necessary for approving the CUP could be made. 

Vice Mayor Andy Wilson questioned the hearing officer’s approval and requested a call for review of the project due to public’s traffic and noise concerns. The City Council considered the call and decided to remand the item to the Board of Zoning Appeals. 

Following a review of the project, the city staff changed its position and recommended that the hearing officer’s decision be overturned based on the estimated number of vehicular trips for the new use, the outdoor operational characteristics of the use, and proximity of the project to residential uses, which staff believes do not conform with the city’s General Plan and the Zoning Code. 

In voting against the use permit for the proposed car wash, the commissioners concurred with the city staff’s findings that the project’s construction is inconsistent with the General Plan policies related to protecting residential areas.

Specifically, they agreed with city staff that the project, with vehicle-oriented outdoor activities and an anticipated 505 daily vehicles, is incompatible with the adjoining residential neighborhood immediately to the south.

During the meeting, Commissioner Jason Lyon cited the General Plan’s vision for East Colorado, which is to transform the area from being auto-oriented to being pedestrian-oriented. 

“This is the vision for the area and for me, the proposed use just does not meet it,” Lyon said. “None of that speaks to the village or improving the visual of the area or inviting walkability.” 

“I agree with the staff and I agree with my fellow commissioners. This project is not consistent in a sense that it is not consistent with the 2015 General Plan and the vision for the area,” Commissioner Carol Hunt Hernandez said. 

Some members of the community who spoke during the meeting expressed their support to the project while some expressed opposition. The primary concerns raised by the public were about noise, traffic along San Marino Avenue, and the proximity of the site to other car washes. 

“There is a great concern about traffic, there is a great concern about the air quality,” said Christi Franklin, a resident of San Marino Avenue. 

She continued: “There are tons of spaces on East Colorado Boulevard. Why would you take one right here at the end of a residential street when if you go down East Colorado Boulevard, there’s a lot of empty properties? So I don’t understand why we are the ones who have been targeted for this.” 

“Nobody is interested in another car wash,” Elizabeth Hammond, another resident of the area said. “We do live in a residential area. This is just not the place to have a car wash.” 

Keith Hart, a resident of Santa Paula Avenue expressed support for the project. 

“I am in support of the new car wash. I have been to their other site in Filmore on Foothill Boulevard and I really enjoyed their car wash over the car washes near me,” he said. 

The decision of the board can be appealed before the city council, according to city staff.